


Gorgeous

by empress_ofbloodshed



Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-10
Updated: 2018-04-10
Packaged: 2019-04-20 21:58:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14270412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/empress_ofbloodshed/pseuds/empress_ofbloodshed





	Gorgeous

“You’re gorgeous,” Nesta announced to Cassian, her voice slurring with whiskey. She stood, wobbling like a newborn doe taking its first steps. Nesta only made it two steps before tumbling to the ground, her embarrassing fall saved by Cassian.

Cassian chuckled, “I know, sweetheart. But you need to get home. You’re drunk.” He picked her up into his arms, ignoring her protests and the stares of other guests at Rita’s. Tipsy, she flung her arms around his neck, laying her head in the crook of his shoulder.

“Mm not ‘runk,” she mumbled, protests growing ever-weaker. Opening her blue-grey eyes wide, she poked a finger into his chest. “But you, you’re so gorgeous it actually hurts me.”

Nesta laid her head back down and burrowed deeper into his arms, savoring his warmth as they stepped out into the cold, winter evening. Snow flurried down from the sky, dancing through the air and landing on her hair, making it sparkle in the light. She smiled, fisting one hand in his tunic like a young child who stayed out too late as sleep came to call.

“Thank you for the compliment, but I’m sure you won’t remember any of this come morning. But you will have a massive hangover.” Cassian knew Nesta didn’t hold her alcohol well, but she was getting better. And he knew that he was in for a scolding from his High Lady for taking Nesta out so late, and in such a short dress.

The dress was beautiful though, a red silk that clung to her hips and breasts before flowing out around her mid-thigh. The hem in the front was shorter than in the back, where it reached around her knees. Her hair was pulled into a loose French braid, the wispy strands framing her sharp features.

A small smile graced her face and in her sleep, she stirred and burrowed further into his chest than he thought possible. When Nesta mumbled Cassian’s name pleadingly, he stumbled and caught himself before dropping her, swearing. She jerked, but stayed asleep, shivering and her brows knotting.

Cassian hurried to the townhouse she owned, only a few doors down from Feyre and Rhysand’s. The latter liked to pop in on her unexpectedly, which Nesta didn’t take kindly to. Sometimes Cassian would visit, hanging around just to irritate her. But she would warm up to his company most days, denying that she did to anyone who asked.

A key typically sat under a pot of red roses on her front stoop, left there in case she was drunk and someone had to bring her home. Cassian summoned his siphons and used them to hold Nesta in place on a him filled with red light as he unearthed the key and unlocked the door before replacing it.

Nesta mumbled something under her breath, still sleeping, as Cassian picked her up and took her into her townhouse. It was spacious and wide-open, bookshelves lining the walls. A small black kitten lay curled up on a crimson armchair, and at hearing Cassian’s entrance, stretched and yawned before padding toward him, meowing for food. Her twin came along not long after, a small kitten of all white.

They were two halves of a whole, light and dark, wandering around the streets of Velaris looking half-starved. Cassian took pity of them and brought them to Nesta, who he knew wanted a kitten for some company those late nights by the fire. Shadow and Pearl both had pine-green eyes and razor-sharp claws. They weaved in and out of his feet, content to trip him and anger their mistress in their quest for food.

“Calm down,” he told the kittens, stepping carefully to get upstairs to Nesta’s room.

Nesta stirred and stretched in Cassian’s arms, eyes fluttering open to lock on him. “Put me down,” she mumbled, words still slurring. Cassian gently set Nesta on her feet, where she sank to the floor, crawling along to the kitchen to find a small chunk of chicken for her cats. Black and white shadows trailed her, claws clicking on the hardwood floors.

Cassian busied himself looking at the books on her shelves after he turned on a light to see better. Just as he was about to pick one up and begin reading, he heard his name being yelled from the kitchen. Running in, he saw Nesta with one hand over her mouth, another clutching her stomach.

Her face was paler than normal, white with illness. Cassian didn’t hesitate, scooping her up and rushing to the bathroom before setting her down by the toilet. She threw up seconds later, hugging the cool marble sides of the toilet. When she was finished, she groaned and stood on wobbly legs to get herself a glass of water and rinse out her mouth.

“Bed,” was all she said. The one was word was a stern command for Cassian. He carried her upstairs to her bed and helped her out of her dress into a loose tunic used as a shirt to sleep in. As she curled up in her bed under the heavy fur and he made to leave, she grabbed his hand. “Stay. Sleep with me.” Frowning, she added, “Just sleep, nothing else.”

“Alright, sweetheart. Whatever you say,” Cassian said with a smirk, settling down on the bed next to her. He tugged off his boots, placing them next to the bed, along with pulling off his shirt and neatly folding it, setting it on the nightstand. Lifting up the blankets of Nesta’s bed, he slid under and laid facing her.

Nesta lifted one hand and gently stroked his cheek before taking his hand and pulling him closer to her before rolling over, curling up against him with her back to his chest. Cassian smiled, inhaling her sweet scent of cinnamon and woodsmoke as he wrapped an arm around her waist.

Sleep found Nesta first and her breaths turned into an even, steady rhythm. Cassian joined her in peaceful slumber not long after.

* * *

Cassian woke up the next morning to an arm thrown over his bare chest and Nesta sprawled across her bed, fur strewn around. Her face was pressed into the pillow, hair fanning her head. Light snores emanated from where Nesta had her face shoved into the pillow. The hem of her nightshirt was riding up around her hips, revealing scarlet undergarments.

Shadow was curled up by Nesta’s head on the pillow, Pearl laying sprawled out on Cassian’s chest. Pearl rose and fell with each of his breaths. Cassian was just content to watch Nesta sleep, but once her cats realized he was awake, they decided it was time for breakfast.

They began meowing and walking over his bare chest with their claws out, causing him to hiss in pain. Just to get a few minutes of peace and quiet, he picked them up and stood, heading out into the hall and down the stairs toward the kitchen. The felines in his arms squirmed and clawed, demanding to be set down.

He put a scoop of cat food into each bowl before being nearly run over by Nesta’s cats in a rush to eat. Sighing, Cassian headed back up to her bedroom, crawling back into bed and falling asleep once again.

* * *

As he awoke the second time that morning, Cassian noticed Nesta wasn’t still in bed. Sounds and scents of someone making breakfast came up from the ground floor. From what Cassian could smell, she was making eggs and bacon and toast.

His mouth watered, so he headed downstairs and to her kitchen, where Nesta was humming and swaying her hips, waving around a spatula. She didn’t notice him until he spoke.

“Morning, sweetheart. How’s your head?” he asked running a hand through his knotted hair.

Nesta’s exclaimed and jumped, turning around. She glared, but her eyes still flicked over his bare chest and stomach. “Oh, good morning to you too, Cassian. My head’s been better.”

Cassian chuckled darkly. “That was some strong whiskey you were throwing back. Did you know you snore in your sleep?” He waggled his eyebrows and smirked. “And on the off chance, do you remember anything about last night?”

She raised one eyebrow, glaring and not bothering to reply before turning back to the stove. Waving a hand, she told him to help himself to the dishes on the counter. Cassian made himself a heaping plate of eggs and bacon with two pieces of French toast.

“Thank you,” he stated through a mouthful of food.

Nesta whacked his bicep with the spatula. “Manners, bat.” He laughed, and a small smile graced her features. Under his nose, she stole a piece of bacon out of his hand, eating it before he could take it back. He grabbed her around the waist, pulling her off the ground. Nesta squealed, flailing in his arms. “Put me down, brute!”

Cassian simply set her down long enough to turn her before picking her up again, avoiding her flailing limbs. He pressed his lips softly to hers and she stilled.

“Oh, well then. I didn’t mean to interrupt you two,” Rhys drawled from where he leaned against the counter.

Nesta pulled away and went back to cooking. “You should go, Cassian. I’ll see you whenever.” She didn’t bother to turn around as Cassian stood in her kitchen with an open mouth, shocked. But he gathered his shirt and boots before whispering goodbye to Shadow and Pearl, slipping out of Nesta’s townhouse like a thief in the night after Rhys winnowed away.

What Cassian didn’t see was Nesta watch him leave, tears streaming down her pale cheeks as she stood in the window, wanting him to come back. Her slowly melting heart froze back up twice as cold, using frostfire to seal the cracks he had created. But she knew he would be back, she just didn’t know when. And that scared her more than anything.


End file.
